Terminal box device



Dec. 28, 1937. F. D. wALDRoN ET A1.

TERMINAL BOX DEVICE Filed Sept. 16, 1936 2 Sheets-Shea?l l 53 mi u Wzl vvill/IIL MR M W05 LM A. c WJ a mAM s y0u 4 R B am ww u lv. a

ATTORNEY F. D.. NALDRON' ET Al.

Dec. 28, 1937.

TERMINAL BOX DEVICE Filed Sept.. 16', 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

F D. WA L DRON ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 28, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE TERMINAL BOX DEVICE Application September 16, 1936, Serial No.101,054

5 Claims.

This invention relates to terminal box devices, and more particularly toa sealed test terminal box device for use in high quality testing ofvoice and carrier communication circuits.

The object of the invention is to improve the construction of suchterminal box devices.

A feature of the invention resides in the provision of a terminal boxdevice in which partitions cooperate with the walls of the terminal 10box to form a series of compartments for housing associated testing andprotecting electrical devices and a sealing chamber for the line wiresand their associated terminals.

Another feature resides in mounting the line protector devices in thecompartment formed on one side of the sealed chamber, a removable coverfor the terminal box being provided for permitting visual observationand replacement of the protector devices without interference from 20associated wiring connections.

Another feature resides in mounting test terminals in a compartmentformed on the opposite side of the sealing chamber to that of the lineprotector devices, thus eiectively shielding the test terminals from theline protectors.

Another feature is the provision of means whereby the test terminals maybe removed from their supporting elements for adjustment and repairwithout interference from their lsoldered 30 connections with the linewire terminals.

Other novel features and advantages of the invention will appear fromthe following description and by the claims appended thereto, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a partial front View with the casing and a number of testterminal blocks shown with portions cut away;

Fig. 2 is a partial top view showing one of the .40 switching devicesremoved from its supporting member and the top wall of the casing withportions cut away, the cover casing being shown partly in section;

Fig. 3 is an end view showing the walls of the .45 casing with portionscut away -and a number wall I0, a bottom wall II, side walls I3 and I4,and a removable rear wall or cover I2 which is held to the top andbottom walls by a plurality of screws I5 and I6 engaging brackets, suchas I1, which in turn are secured to the top wall I by rivets I8 and to'the bottom wall II by rivets I9. On the top wall IU is secured, as byrivets I, a sleeve or collar 52 for receiving the protecting lead cablesheath 52X from which the line wires LW are distributed to terminalswhich will be hereinafter described in detail. The rear wall or cover I2is provided with a peripher-al rim portion RM shown in Figs. 2 and 3overlapping the contour of the casing thus formed so as to render thecasing substantially dustproof at this point.

To the top and bottom walls I0 and II of the casing and in longitudinalrelation thereto are secured, as by screws 20 and 2I, two pairs ofparallelly disposed insul-ating bars 22 and 22b and 23 and 23o shown inFigs. 2 and 3. To the bars 22 and 23 is secured, as by a number ofscrews 24, a partition 25 of insulating material on which are mountedthe wire terminals 26, these terminals being secured to the insulatingpartition 25 by a press-fit eng-agement in correspondingly sized holesto a stop aiorded by a collar 21 in abutment with the rear surface ofthis partition, and to the ends of the terminals 26, adjacent the collarportions 2l, are secured the line wires LW. To the opposite ends ofthese terminals are. connected, as by wires W, shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3,5, and 6, switching devices in the form of jacks JS, each consisting ofa mounting bracket 30 secured to an insulating block 34, the contactelements 3I and 32 being insulated from each other by spaced members ofinsulating material and the whole secured in a pile-up arrangement onthe mounting bracket 30.

The jacks JS are arranged by pairs on each bracket 30 and these bracketsare arranged by pairs on the rectangularly-shaped insulating blocks `34which are in turn arranged in coordinate rows and secured to parallellydisposed supporting metal bars 35, 36, 3l, 38, and 39, shown in Figs. 1,2, 3, and 4 by screws 35]c engaging the bar 35, screws 36j engaging thebar 36, screws 3'If engaging the bar 3l, screws 38f engaging the bar 38,and screws 39j engaging the bar 39. Bars 35, 36, 31, 38, and 39, whichthese screws 36f, 31j, 38f, and 39j engage, are grounded, and a strap 50interconnects these screws with screws 60 screwed into a cross piece 80secured to the two brackets 30, 30. Since eachscrew 60 is thus.connected to the two brackets, each supporting Any one of theinsulating blocks 34 may be removed individually from its supportingbars by the simple removal of its two securing screws Calif-36; orttf-31j, etc., as the case may be without interference from its adjacentblocks 34. The wires W in cooperation with the line terminals 26 whichextend in proximity to the insulating blocks 34 permit these blocks andthe jacks JS mounted thereon to be drawn a considerable distance fromthe front surface of the board thus formed (Fig. 2) withoutnecessitating the breaking of any of their soldered connections, thusfacilitating repairs and adjustments of these parts whilecorrespondingly decreasing the maintenance cost of such equipment. Thearrangement of spacing the groups of jacks from each other as shown inFig. 1 provides suicient separation electrically for circuits up to 150kilocycles without the necessity of shielding. l

To the parallel bars 22b,and 23h, which are secured to the top andbottom walls i@ and lI, is secured, as by a plurality of screws 4t, ametallic partition 4I shown in Figs. 2 and 3. This partition is providedwith two rectangular openings a2 and 43 for receiving the insulatingstrips 44 and (l5, these strips being secured to the partition bymetallic links 46 and 41 secured to the partition @I and to theinsulating strips 44 and 45 by similar screws 48. On the insulatingstrips 44 and 45 are mounted the terminals 50 connecting with the jacksJS and protector devices of the carbon block type, the electrodes CB andCBI or which are held in engaged relation to each other by springs 50Y,the line wires LW being distributed or supported by the protectorterminals to the side wall I3 of the casing by a plurality of sets ofU-shaped supporting brackets BI, B2, and B3 shown in Fig. 3.

On the top wall I there isV secured, as by rivets lC, a screw threadedsleeve EID for receiving a cap screw 53 provided for permitting thefilling of the middle or intermediate compartment with a suitablesealing compound, thereby effectively shielding the component conductingparts on opposite sides of the sealing chamber.

Referring now to Fig. 5, when it is desired to test a pair of line wiresincoming from the cable, plug PL is inserted in the upper pair of jacksL allotted to this circuit, see Fig. l. This disconnects this pair ofline wires LW from the wires EW leading to the equipment apparatus andconnects instead a test set not shown. When it is desired to test a pairof wires leading to the equipment, such as repeaters etc., plug PL isinserted in the lower pair of jacks EQ (Fig. 1) allotted to thiscircuit. This disconnects this pair of wires from its associated pair ofline wires LW and connects in place thereof the test set.

A circuit is normally closed through the spring EUY, the electrodes CBIand CB oi the protector to ground G connected to the protector support.

It will be noted that with each set of four jacks (Fig. l) there isassociated a small perforation 'l0 in the associated insulating block34. Heretofore it has been necessary to furnish two differ'- ent typesoi jacks, one pair with cut-oi springs for use with patching cords andanother without cut-ofi springs to prevent opening the circuits intransmission level testing. By employing the above arrangement, the samejacks can be used ior both purposes by using a four-prong plug as shownin Fig. 6 with two sets of prongs electrically vconnected and the leveltesting set connected in bridge of these two sets of prongs, the plughaving a pin to insure that the prongs enter the proper jacks. Then forpatching purposes, a regular twin plug can be used with these samejacks.

It is understood that minor changes may be made as to shape, dimension,and the number of lines terminating in the test terminal box of thisinvention without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A test terminal box device comprising a casing, partitions in saidcasing forming a plurality of adjacently disposed compartments, aplurality of terminals carried by one of said partitions and extendingon opposite sides thereof into two of said compartments, a plurality ofinsulating bars supportedby the end walls of said casing in adjust-edspaced relation to each other, a plurality of switching devices havingeach a supporting block mounted in coordinate rows on said bars andconnected to adjacent ends of said terminals, in one of the outerdisposed compartments, a sleeve secured to one of the walls of saidcasing through which the line wires enter the middle compartment forconnection with the other ends of said terminals, and other electricalapparatus mounted on the other of said partitions in the other outerdisposed compartment and having terminals connecting with theiirstmentioned terminals in the said middle compartment.

2. In a test terminal box, a casing, partitions in said casingIcooperating with the walls thereof to form three compartments, terminalsmounted on one of said partitions, a sleeve secured to one of saidwalls, a cable stub engaging said sleeve for leading the line. wires tosaid terminals in one of said compartments, other terminals' mounted onthe other partition and having one of their ends disposed adjacent theends of the iirst mentioned terminals in the last-mentioned compartment,electrical connections between the first and second-mentioned terminals,and electrical devices connected to the other ends of the rst andsecond-mentioned terminals in the other and the last-mentionedcompartments.

3. In a test terminal box, a casing, partitions in said casingcooperating with the walls thereof to form a series of three adjacentcompartments, terminals mounted on one of said partitions,V a sleevesecured to one of said walls, a cable stub engaging said sleeve forleading the line wires for connection to said terminals in the middledisposed of said compartments, switching devices, insulating means foreach oi said devices, and means carried by said casing for supportingsaid insulating means, said terminals extending from said partition withone of their ends extending to a point adjacent said insulating means,conducting means connecting said terminals to said switching devices,said insulating means being removable individually from said insulatingmeans while maintaining electrical continuity between said terminals andsaid switching devices, other terminals carried by the other o saidpartitions and connecting with said conducting means, and otherelectrical devices in the other outer disposed compartment connectingwith the last-mentioned terminals.

4. In a test terminal box device, a casing, partitions in said casingcooperating with the walls of said casing to form a series of adjacentlydisposed compartments, terminals mounted on one of said partitions andprotruding on opposite sides thereof, means secured to one of said wallsfor receiving the cable stub for leading the line wires for connectionsto said terminals in one of said compartments, other terminals mountedon the other partition and protruding on opposite sides thereof,electric connections between the adjacent ends of the first andsecond-mentioned terminals in said compartment, switching devicesmounted in another of said compartments and connected to the other endsof the rst-men tioned terminals, protector devices, sup-porting meanscarried by the other partition for mounting said protector devices inanother of said compartments, spring means secured by the lastmentionedterminals on the last-mentioned partition for yieldably holding saiddevices on said supporting means, and means carried by said casingcommunicating with the first-mentioned compartment for lling it with aninsulating compound.

5. A test terminal box device comprising a casing, a plurality ofpartitions dividing said casing into a series of three adjacentlydisposed compartments, a set of terminals carried by each of saidpartitions extending on both sides thereof, one set of terminalsconnecting with the line wires in the middle disposed compartment andwith the other set of terminals in that compartment, electrical devicesmounted on one of said partitions in one of the outer disposedcompartments and connecting with the set of terminals carried by thatpartition, a plurality of supporting bars secured to said casing,switching devices, an insulating block for each of said devices mountedin rows relative to each other on said supporting bars in the otherouter disposed compartment, and conducting means attached to the ends ofsaid terminals in that compartment and connecting with thelast-mentioned devices, said insulating blocks being individuallyremovable from said supporting bars, and a sealing compound filling themiddle disposed compartment for shielding the electrical devices fromsaid switching devices.

FRED D. WALDRON. ANTHONY J. WIER.

